Loyal Guard

CH2: Vowing With Soul Blood

"Have you seen enough?" Ji Zhiyan had sensed an intense gaze upon him since entering the water prison. The scrutiny felt so piercing that it seemed capable of burning through him. He fixed Tian Quan with a cold, assessing stare before gesturing for his release.

Ji Zhiyan, whose life had grown monotonous, found a rare spark of intrigue in the situation. The Fourth Hall's radical behavior and the young dark guard's evasive demeanor suggested hidden motives.

The iron shackles and golden hooks embedded in Tian Quan’s collarbones were methodically removed. A servant assisted him out of the damp confines of the prison. Tian Quan kept his head bowed, deliberately avoiding his lord’s gaze.

"Lord, please understand. I have never executed an innocent person. Those five deserved their fate. If I have erred, I humbly request death as punishment," Tian Quan pleaded, his back soaked with cold sweat. Despite his physical exhaustion and the unbearable pain coursing through his body, he struggled to kowtow repeatedly in supplication.

Ji Zhiyan responded with a quiet chuckle. "Provide proof."

Tian Quan steadied himself and declared, "I offer my soul blood as a solemn vow of loyalty to my lord. Should I ever betray this oath, may the heavens and earth condemn me, my soul be destroyed, and my spirit never be reborn!" As he spoke, golden soul blood emerged from his brow, radiating a gentle luminescence. Ji Zhiyan remained impassive, observing Tian Quan before summoning the soul blood into his palm with a flick of his hand.

After a cursory inspection, Ji Zhiyan directed the soul blood to his forehead, where it entered his consciousness and was enveloped by his spiritual awareness. At that moment, with a mere thought, he could end Tian Quan’s life.

A soul blood vow was among the most severe oaths in the Qinggang Continent. It divided the swearer’s soul, with half bound to the recipient. Should the recipient find the swearer in violation, they could end their life at any time.

Though the vow did not hinder cultivation or daily life, few would willingly place their life in another’s hands. Tian Quan had no choice. He carried secrets he could not disclose, ones that would die with him.

Suddenly, Ji Zhiyan moved with supernatural speed, appearing before Tian Quan in an instant. His hand formed a claw and seized Tian Quan’s throat, lifting him effortlessly into the air. Tian Quan gasped for breath, his feet flailing, his face reddening, and his eyes bulging. Yet, no fear or despair crossed his expression. He locked eyes with his lord, and the air grew heavy with tension. Behind Ji Zhiyan, Xingxiu, captain of the First Team of the Twenty-Eight Bodyguards, tensed under his master’s fierce aura.

"You are asking for death!" Ji Zhiyan thought furiously, ready to snap his neck or reduce him to a pool of blood with a mere thought.

He could not process the message Tian Quan had just conveyed through spiritual transmission.

This dark guard was undeniably suspicious, filled with contradictions.

"Cough... Lord, please grant me... two months... cough... to prove myself... cough," Tian Quan rasped, struggling to remain conscious as he spoke with unwavering determination before finally collapsing into unconsciousness.

Ji Zhiyan hurled him to the ground with force and strode out of the water prison. Before departing, he turned and instructed Xingxiu to ensure Tian Quan remained under strict surveillance and did not die.

Two months was the appointed time for his impending confrontation with Si Wuya, the master of the Shendao Sect, in the Hengduo Forest atop Guanmu Mountain.